Guitar conundrum – help?

So I own a left handed telecaster elite bought new in 1983ish

trouble is its dead – ie the active electronics no longer work

there is zero chance of resolving this

should I

1 try to sell it as a none working guitar

or

2 install all new circuitry and pickups

honestly in all the time I’ve had it I’ve never played as it always sounded kinda crappy with the active pickups (when they works)and I never liked the uber thin neck either

also I already have a telecaster that I love

sounds like you’ve already decided 🙂

nope – thats why I still have it after all these years

I really want to like it and for it to be a usable guitar

even if I sold it and had the money theres nothing I need to buy right now or in the forseeable future

new electrics

but not normal tele ones – make it a “rock” tele with twin humbuckers

normal sized buckers wont fit – I fancy trying a sustainiac system in it though

or maybe les paul style mini humbuckers

that won’t detract from your uber thin neck though….

get rid

perhaps you’re right 🙁

sell it and buy and acoustic?

If you search about online,you’ll get a passive tele wiring loom and pickups for abut 40/50 quid tops, don’t worry about the branding of the pickups too much,especially Seymour Duncans or Dimarzio etc. that’s by and large a con anyway,unbranded pickups can and will sound just as good.

I’ve got four teles, all different and I love’em all.None of them require humbuckers to muddy the sound up as they can all sound clean and or aggressive as needed.

have enough acoustics already 8)

Personally I would fix it and then sell it.

Shouldn’t cost too much to put a set of basic passive pickups in and a little time sorting the wiring out. You could possibly get some second hand pickups even. I would think it would be easier to shift as a working tele.

I would get a local shop to fit some mid range pick ups and new strings / etc. then sell it on. Its no good doing nothing and if it isnt sold as fully working you wont get a good price.

If you do sell it, sell it for parts, Fender parts go for silly money just because of the name. and will probably sell for more than it would working.

If you bought new in ’83, it’s got some historical attachment. I’d buy some new pickups in and get it working again. You could set it up for slide / alternate tuning?

Per my original post

its an elite telecaster

there is nothing standard or even near enough pick up wise to go in it other than single coils that would look a bit silly in the odd sized routing

Selling as part seems a good idea though – I’ll look into that – thanks TK

£20? 😀

American, Mexican or Japanese Tele? Could have a bearing on what you do with it.

Bodge some P90s into it.

USA fender telecaster elite

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